Skiing in America as well as throughout the world is many times a family adventure. Given that this sport many times involves a variety of family members on any one ski trip, the handling, storage, and transport of the various equipment can pose some difficulty and inconvenience. Hence, it would be beneficial if a device were available to reduce the burdens imposed upon skiers when attempting to handle, store, and transport the various shaped objects involved in skiing, snowboarding, sledding, cross country skiing or simply snowshoeing and for transport from cars to lodge, home, airports, or other transport.
Others have considered the need for ease of vehicle transport of ski equipment by designing elongated ski cases directed at ski storage and roof top carrying. The Ski Case Sled is designed to carry a variety of objects, is only six inches in height to reduce pressure drag on top of cars, is designed as a sled, and has a quick connect-disconnect ability onto roof tops of automobiles or rack-top.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved container for storing, carrying, and transporting ski equipment, snowboards, snowshoes, and related equipment or other materials.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a transport container for skis and other equipment which will enclose the equipment and skis and secure the equipment between two replaceable insert foam pads which would protect all components of the skis and other stored equipment.
One aspect of the present invention is a ski-equipment sled for transporting ski equipment and related ski trip materials from the automobile parking location to the base lodge where ski equipment is donned. The case is easily quick-released and slid off of the auto and thereafter pulled or carried over the shoulder by one person using the carrying/pulling strap which is part of the present invention. Quite usually the distance from auto parking to ski lodge is sufficient to make the sled use desirable and highly convenient.
A further aspect of the invention provides a lockable ski case and equipment container which can be used for storing and locking skis, poles, wallets, and other valuables at the base lodge and to conceal the nature of the case contents to deter theft based on the style or expense of ski equipment. The case is designed with a strap to allow for connection to ski lodge ski racks, trees, etc.
Still another aspect of the present invention provides for strapping down equipment upon the Ski Case Sled once the sled is slid off the fixed guides atop auto roof or as connected to existing roof racks to allow for ease of carrying sports related equipment. The strap-downs can also be used for converting the ski sled into a backpack or over-the-shoulder equipment and ski carrying case. The case also has a handle for one-handed carrying by ones' side if desired for transport as luggage in airports or otherwise.
Another aspect of the invention provides for a case design which minimizes the pressure drag of the case atop auto roof by allowing for inversion of skis and placement of poles underneath in order to maximize volume use. Also the female channels which support the case are designed to take up air space inside the case which then reduces further external pressure drag of the case and utilizes available air space inside the case in lieu of requiring external supports.
Another aspect of the invention provides a quick connect-disconnect and locking system for transport of the ski case atop auto roof or auto roof racks. Male dovetail guides are either screwed into auto roof, integral to roof strap system or fit onto existing roof racks. The lower section of the ski case has female slide channels that receive the male dovetail guides to secure the case onto the roof or roof racks. The male guides are fitted with spring-backed pressure bars which "snap-in" the case securely. Also the male guides have a solid bar at the right end and a "up or down" position locking bar at the left end which allows for securing the case onto the male guides. This quick connect and quick disconnect feature allows for rapid and easy removal of the ski sled from the auto roof and rapid "flip over" of the case to take advantage of the sled option and carrying straps built into the case. To accomplish these objectives, the ski and equipment case embodies two vacuum or injection formed components which are hinged together along the length of the rectangular case and constructed of high density polyethylene or other similar material. The case could be constructed of most any other structural material as well. To latch the two components together the plastic form has two hinges and an internal locking system. The latching system allows for closure upon case contents as well as securing the case contents. Two replaceable foam rubber inserts can be used to create friction upon materials placed inside the ski case. These foam inserts would be replaceable over time given that ski edges and other sharp objects would tend to tear and cut the rubber pads over prolonged use.
The vacuum forms have Velcro attached foam rubber pad inserts that act as the frictional restraints to ski case contents. Given that the pads are not specifically constructed to support skis, the case is not limited to skis and/or poles. Accordingly, the case can be used for any variety of material storage and is limited only by the internal dimensions of the container. The objectives of this invention will become for defined upon presentation of the detailed description.